Ink fountain



Dec. 29, 1964 D. H. KNOWLES ETAL 1 3,163,111

' INK FOUNTAIN Filed Sept. 5, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS Dennis HKnow/e5, BY Louis 5 Tyma J! 8 Fran/r .1 Doyle.

Dec. 29, 1964 D, H. KNOWLES ETAL 3,163,111

INK FOUNTAIN Filed Sept. 5, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG 3 s I.'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIA' INVENTORS Dennis H Know/es, v BY Louis 5 Tyma Jr8 Frank J Doyle.

Dec. 29, 1964 D, H. KNOWLES ETAL 3,163,111

INK FOUNTAIN 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 5, 1961 a, w mm w Ft E O R 1 QQ. T 3 mm NQ MN a I. .l UM IN R k vv I I Q \Q 3; k MVM m v NM. 96 N o me m g mm v a Q Q Q5 v ML v m w United States Patent 3,163,111 INKFQUNTAIN Dennis H. Knowles, La Grange karts, Louis S. Tyma, .lix,

Hinsdale, and Frank 5. Doyle, llellwood, 121., assignors tofvliehie-Goss-Dester, incorporated, Chicago, iii, a

corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 5, 1961, Ser. No. 135,875 9 Claims.(Cl. 101--350) This invention relates to rotary printing presses andconcerns, more particularly, ink fountains for supplying ink to suchpresses.

A rotary press ink fountain is basically an open topped pan whichcontains a quantity of ink. A fountain roller is journalled just abovethe pan so that the lower portion of the roller lies submerged in theink. Rotating the fountain roller lifts a film of ink from the fountainon the periphery of the roller so that the ink can be picked up by thepress inking arrangement and transferred to the printing or platecylinder.

Modern rotary presses are often called upon to print with colored inksof various type as well as conventional black ink. When a color changeis made, it is, of course, necessary to empty the fountain of theformerly used ink and clean the fountain, fountain roller, and relatedparts before the ink of m alternate color is supplied to the fountain.This has been a time consuming, rather difiicult and generally messytask.

Accordingly, it is the primary aim of the present invention to provide anovel ink fountain that can be quickly cleaned to permit a color changeto be rapidly and conveniently made, and which eliminates most of themessy aspects of the job.

With more particularity, it is an object of the invention to provide anovel fountain as characterized above having a removable ink retainingand disposal unit which makes it possible for the fountain to be emptiedquickly and easily and which can be separated from the fountain forcleam'ng.

It is a further object to provide a fountain of the above described typehaving built-in elements for cleaning the fountain, fountain roller, andfountain knife blade.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent uponreading the following detailed description and upon reference to thedrawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation, partially in section, of a portion of a rotarypress inking arrangement including a fountain constructed in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan of a portion of the structure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation, with portions broken away, of the fountainshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken approximately along theline 4-4 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 1 but shows the parts in position at the endof the cleaning stroke.

While the invention will be described in connection Turning now to thedrawings, there is shown a portion fountain it embodying the presentinvention Cooperating with the fountain 19 is a fountain roller 11 whichis adapted to lift ink from the fountain and transfer the ink to apickup roller 12. The amount of ink lifted by the fountain roller 11 iscontrolled in the usual manner i of an inking arrangement for a rotarypress including a 3,l3,l.ll Patented Dec. 2%, 1964 by a knife bladeassembly 13 which includes a knife blade 14 positioned close to theperiphery of the fountain roller. I

The fountain roller 11 is sectioned by a plurality of dividers or sidewalls 21 so that the fountain it) supplies ink to only a portion 22 ofthe fountain roller between the side walls 21. Another fountain 23,preferably similar to the fountain ltl, serves the adjacent portion 24of the fountain roller 11. Normally, each of the portions of thefountain roller provides ink across the width of a single page beingprinted by the press. Of course the fountain roller can be sectionedinto any number of portions, there being individual fountains mounted tosupply ink to each of the portions. In the illustrated construction,both of the fountains iii, 23, as Well as the side walls 21, are mountedon a plate 25 forming a. portion of the frame of the press.

in the illustrated embodiment, the fountain it includes a bottom memberhaving an arcuate surface 31 underlying the fountain roller 11 andwhich, together with the side walls 21, defines a shallow ink reservoirhaving an open front 32. Preferably, the ink reservoir is completed by awiper blade 55 whose mounting is described below. The bottom member 30fits snugly between the side walls 21 and preferably a sealing element33 is interposed between the member 3% and each of the side walls sothat a tight, fluid seal is maintained (see FIG. 4).

For closing the open front 32 of ther reservoir, 2. removable pan unit35 is fastened in sealing engagement with the bottom member Bil. The panunit 35 includes a U-shaped piece 36 which carries a resilient sealingelement 37 that is pressed tightly against the sides and bottom of theopen front 32 when the pan unit 35 is in its FIG. 1 operating position.he unit 35 also includes side walls 41 and d2, front wall 43 and bottomplate 44 which together form an extension of, and complete, the inkreservoir defined by the bottom member iii), the wiper blade 55 and theside walls 21. An operating ink level approximately at the broken line45 in FIG. 1 can thus be contained by the fountain it).

It will be appreciated that the pan unit 35 provides the fountain lidwith an easily accessible region, between the end walls 41, 42, withinwhich can be mounted a float valve or other ink level controlling devicecoupled to an ink supply line for keeping the fountain 1t filled.Alternatively of course, a supply of ink can be simply poured manuallyinto the pan unit 35.

For releasably locking the pan unit 35 to the bottom member 36, a pairof thumb screws 46 and 47 are passed through flange members 43 and 49,respectively, formed on the pan unit and into threaded engagement withupstanding portions 5% of the bottom member 3t). Releasing the thumbscrews 45, 47 frees the pan unit 35 for removal from the fountain in.

Pursuant to the invention, themember St) is mounted for shiftingmovement from an operating position toward the fountain roller 11 and toa cleaning position and the wiper blade is slidably mounted on thebottom member 30 for sweeping movement over the arcuate surface 31toward the open front 32 so that the blade 55 also sweeps the peripheryof the fountain roller when the member 39 is shifted. The blade 55 issecuredbetween apair of arcuate segments 56, 57, which slide in grooves58 and 59, respectively, formed on the bottom member 30 at either edgeof the arcuate surface 31. The Wiper blade 55 connects the forward endsof the segments. A U-shaped handle 62. is secured to the bar 61.

By manually grasping the handle 62, the segments 56,

57 can be pulled along their respective grooves 58,59 so as to sweep theblade 55 along the arcuate surface 31. A pair of stops 63 and 64 securedto the side walls 21 limit movement of the segments 56, 57. To hold thewiper blade 55 in its FIG. 1, press operating position, a pair of latchfingers 65 are pivoted at points as to the top of the upwardly extendingportions fill formed on the bottom member 39. When the fingers 65 arerotated toward one another, they overlie the Wiper handle 62 so as tolock the handle down and thus hold the wiper blade in its FIG. 1position. Swinging the fingers d5 forwardly, as best seen in FIG. 2,frees the handle 62 so that the wiper blade can be manually moved alongthe grooves 58, 59. i For shiftably mounting the bottom member 33, themember is pivotally supported at 79 on the upper ends of a pair ofV-shaped arms 71 which are pivoted at 71a on upstanding plates 7'2secured to the frame plate 25. Removable pins 72a normally hold the arms71 fixed with respect to the plates 72. To swing the bottom member 3% bypivoting it about its axis 7ft, an air cylinder 73 is anchored to theframe plate and coupled to a lug 7 carried by the bottom member 3%. Uponactuation of the air cylinder 73, the bottom member 36 shifts up wardlyabout its axis 7 0 from the operating position shown in FIG. 1 so as tobring the wiper lade 55 into contact with the periphery of the fountainroller it; the parts assuming their cleaning position shown in FIG. 5.

By removing the pins 72a, the arms '71 and the bottom member may bedropped to their dashed line positions in FIG. 1 so as to provide accessto the fountain blade '14 and adjacent structure. The pan unit isdetached before the pins 72a are removed.

lt'is important to note that the arcuate surface 31 is proportioned sothat when the wiper blade 55 contacts the fountain roller 11, the axesof the fountain roller and of the arcuate surface 31 are brought intosubstantial alinement. With these axes coinciding, sweeping movement ofthe wiper blade 55 along the surface 31 also sweeps the portion of theperiphery of the fountain roller 11 which overlies the surface 31.

Preferably, the wiper blade 55 includes a flexible portion 753 which isin sealing engagement with the knife blade-14 when the parts are intheir FIG. 1, press operating position. The wiper blade portion 75 isalso disposed so as to scrape along, and thus clean, the knife blade 14as the bottom member 30 is swung upwardly upon actuation of the cylinder73 (see FfGS. 1 and 5). In addition, it should be understood that thewiper blade portion 75 fills the space between the blade and the knife14 and thus acts as a slide along which ink removed by the knife blade14 from the periphery of the fountain roller during press operation isreturned to the fountain It).

As an important feature of the invention, ink drained from the fountainit is received by a receptacle 80 form ing part of the pan unit 35. Thereceptacle so is of simple rectangular, open topped, box-likeconfiguration and is secured to the pan unit 35 by a pair of thumbscrews 81 and 82 which pass through flanges 33 and 84, respectively,formed on the pan unit 35 into threaded engagethem with bars 85 and asanchored within the receptacle 819. When the thumb screws 81 and 82 areturned into the bars 35, 86, the receptacle 80 is drawn firmly againstthe pan' unit 35 so that the pan unit and receptacle form a single rigidunit. A bail-type handle 37 pivoted on the opposite side walls 41, 42 ofthe pan unit 35 facilitates handling the pan unit and the attachedreceptacle 8b.

The receptacle 80 may be easily separated from the pan unit tofacilitate cleaning. by releasing the screws 31, 82

from the respective bars 85, 86.

The receptacle 80 extends outwardly from the U- shaped pan unit piece 36so as to define an opening 90 running the full width of the. bottommember 3t) and underlying the open front 32. Thus, when the thumb screws46, 47 are released and the pan unit 3 5 slightly separated from thebottom member 30, the ink contained in the fountain and in the pan unit35 drains from the open front 32 through the opening 90 and into thereceptable '89. To conveniently hold the receptacle 8% in ink drainingposition, a pair of pins 91, 92 are extended from the plates 72 and anangle member 93 is mounted on the frame plate 25 is opposed relation tothe pins 91, 92. Lowering the pan unit and atached receptacle uponrelease of the thumb screws 46, 47, causes the receptacle to seat in theangle member 93 while resting in a tilted position on the pins 9t, 92(see FIG. 5). This disposes the opening t in position to receive inkfrom the open front 32 of the bottom member.

The operation and advantages of the fountain 16 can now be appreciated.In the FIG. 1, press running position, the bottom member 3% assumes itslower position in which the blade 55 is separated from the roller fl andthe fingers 6S overlie the handle 62 so as to hold the wiper bladeportion '75 against the knife blade 14. The pan unit 35 is drawnsecurely against the open front 32 of the bottom member so as tocomplete a reservoir capable of holding ink at the approximate level ofthe line d5. Rotation of the fountain roller 11 in a supply of inkcontained by the fountain id feeds ink to the pickup roller l2 andthence to the rotary press in the usual manner. Surplus ink lifted bythe roller 11 is removed by the knife blade 14 and is returned along'tne slide defined by the wiper blade portion 75 to the supply of ink inthe fountain.

When it is desired to change the color of the ink in the fountain id orto otherwise completely clean the fountain of its ink supply, the pressis stopped and the air cylinder 73 actuated. This rotates the bottommember 39 about the pivot 7d, causing the wiper blade 55 to move intocontact with the fountain roller and the axis of the arcuate surface 31to move into substantial alinetent with the axis of the fountain roller11. As the bottom member 38 is pivoted, the wiper blade portion 75 movesupwardly and scrapes along the knife blade 14- thus cleaning the knifeblade and return ng the ink to the reservoir.

The operator then loosens the thumb screws 46 and 47 and drops the panunit 35, together with the attached receptacle 89, onto the pins 91, 92and the angle member 3. As soon as the seal 37 is separated from theperiphery of the open front 32. of the bottom member 39, a portion ofthe ink contained in the fountain drains downwardly into the receptacle80. It is important to note that the shifting movement of the bottommember toward the receptacle 8d and thus facilitales draining the ink.

The operator then swings the fmgers 65 outwardly to free the wiper bladehandle 62 and the handle is pulled upwardly so as to slide the segments56, 57 along the grooves 58, 59. This draws the wiper blade over thearcuate surface 33 and about the bottom segment of the fountain roller11, thus sweeping these surfaces clean and moving the ink toward theopen front 32 and into the receptacle 3%. The fountain roller 11 is thenslowly turned in its normal forward direction for approximately threequarters of a revolution, so as to move the remaining peripheralportions of the fountain roller past the wiper blade 55 and completelyclean the surface of the fountain roller. Again, the ink sweplt from thefountain roller as it is rotated spills through the open front 32 intothe receptacle 88. A rubber squeegee or other implement can then be usedto move most of the re maining ink on the wiper blade and forwardportions of the member 30 into the receptacle.

The operator next lifts the pan unit 35 and attached receptacle 8t? fromthe press, using the convenient handle 87, and wipes the blade 55 andthe forward portions of the bottom member 36 clean. It will beappreciated that these parts are easily accessible and, hence, thismanual wipe-up job is relatively simple.

The receptacle may be separated from the pan unit 35 by releasing thethumb screws 81, 82 so that the receptacle and the pan unit may becleaned conveniently before they are again attached to the bottom member3t Alternatively, another pan unit and receptacle, properly 33 cleaned,can be substituted in the fountain so that operation of the press may beresumed immediately while the pan unit 35 and receptacle 8d are cleanedat leisure. The ink contained in the receptacle 88, rather than beingsimply wasted, can be suitably stored for future use.

To restore the press to operation, the steps described above are simplyreversed. The handle 62 is pushed downwardly to return the wiper blade55 to press operating position and the handle is locked in position byturning the fingers d toward one another. The cylinder '73 is operatedso as to pivot the bottom member 3% to press operating position shown inFIG. 1 and thus move the wiper blade 55 out of contact with the fountainroller. A clean pan unit 35 is brought into position with the edges ofthe open front 32 and the thumb screws 46, 37 are manipulated to lockthe pan unit securely in position. Ink can then be supplied to thefountain in any convenient manner and press operation may be resumed.

Those skilled in this art will appreciate that the color changeprocedure outlined above and made possible by the fountain it) isunusually rapid and convenient as compared to what has heretofore beenknown. The built-in ink cleaning and ink disposal obtained through theuse of the wiper blade 55 and the receptacle 80 are particularlyconvenient and ink spillage is virtually eliminated.

The wiper blade 55 quickly and easily cleans the normally inaccessibleportions of the ink fountain and provides a rapid way of cleaning theentire periphery of the fountain roller.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a press inking arrangement having a journalled fountain roller,the combination comprising, an arcuate surfaced bottom membershiftablymounted beneath said fountain roller with said surfaceunderlying said roller, a pair of side Walls mounted to define, togetherwith said bottom member, a shallow reservoir having an open front, awiper blade in fluid sealing engagement across said member between saidwalls, said wiper blade being slidably mounted on said member forsweeping movement over said surface toward said open front, means forshifting said member toward said roller so that the axes of said surfaceand said roller substantially coincide and said blade contacts saidroller, a pan unit in contact with said bottom member across said openfront so as to complete said reservoir whereby said roller can berotated in a supply of ink in said reservoir, means for releasablysupporting said pan unit so that the unit can be moved out of contactwith said member in order to drain the ink from said reservoir throughsaid open front, and means for drawing said wiper blade over saidsurface toward said open front and around a portion of said roller whensaid member has been shifted.

2. In a printing press inking arrangement having a journalled fountainroller, the combination comprising, an arcuate surfaced bottom membermounted beneath said fountain roller with said surface underlying saidroller, a pair of side walls mounted to define, together With saidbottom member, a shallow ink reservoir having an open front, a Wiperblade in fluid sealing engagement across said member between said walls,said wiper blade being slidably mounted on said member for sweep ingmovement over said surface toward said open front, a pan unit abuttingsaid bottom member across said open front so as to complete saidreservoir so that said roller can be rotated in a supply of ink in saidreservoir, means for releasably supporting said pan unit so that theunit can be moved out of contact with said member in order to drain theink from said reservoir through said open front, and means for slidingsaid wiper blade over said surface toward said open front.

3. In a press inking arrangement having a journalled fountain roller,the combination comprising, an arcuate surfaced bottom member tiltablymounted beneath said fountain rollerwith said surface underlying saidroller, 21 pair of side walls mounted to define, together with saidbottom member, a shallow ink reservoir, a wiper blade in fluid sealingengagement across said member between said walls, said Wiper blade beingslidably mounted on said member for sweeping movement over said surface,means for tilting said member for cleaning so that said blade is incontact with said roller and the axis of said arcuate surfacesubstantially coincides with the axis of said roller, and means forsliding said Wiper blade over said surface and around a portion of saidroller when said member has been titlted.

4. In a press inking arrangement having a journalled fountain roller,the combination comprising, an arcuate surface bottom member tiltablymounted beneath said fountain roller with said surface underlying saidroller, 2. pair of side walls mounted to define, together with saidbottom member, a shallow ink reservoir having an open front, a wiperblade in fluid sealing engagement across said member between said walls,said wiper blade being slidably mounted on said member for sweepingmovement over said surface toward said open front, means for tiltingsaid member from press operating to fountain cleaning positions so as toelevate said blade into contact with said roller and move the axis ofsaid arcuate surface into substantial alinement with the axis of saidroller, a unit abutting said bottom member across said open front so asto close in and complete said reservoir whereby said roller can rotatein a supply of ink in said reservoir, means for releasably attachingsaid unit so that the unit can be moved out of abutment with said memberto drain the ink in said reservoir through said open front, and meansfor sliding said wiper blade over said surface toward said open frontand around said roller when said member has been tilted.

5. In a press inking arrangement having a journalled fountain roller,the combination comprising, an arcuate surfaced bottom member shiftablymounted beneath said fountain roller with said surface underlying saidroller, a pair of side walls mounted to define, together with saidbottom member, a shallow ink reservoir having an open front, a wiperblade in fluid sealing engagement across said member between said walls,said Wiper blade being slidably mounted on said member for sweepingmovement over said surface toward said open front, means for shiftingsaid member toward said roller so that the axes of said surface and saidroller substantially coincide and said blade contacts said roller, ashiftable pan unit abutting said bottom member across said open front soas to complete said reservoir whereby said roller can be rotated in asupply of ink in said reservoir, said pan unit including an underlying,open topped receptacle, said receptacle being positioned to receive inkdraining from said reservoir when said pan unit is moved away from saidmember into a cleaning position, and means for sliding said wiper bladeover said surface toward said open front and around said roller whensaid member has been shifted so as to sweep ink remaining in saidreservoir and in the fountain roller into said receptacle.

6. In a press inking arrangement having a journalled fountain roller,the combination comprising, an arcuate surfaced bottom member mountedbeneath said fountain roller with said surface underlying said roller, apair of side Walls mounted to define, together with said bottom member,a shallow ink reservoir having an open front, a wiper blade in fluidsealing engagement across said member between said walls, said wiperblade being slidably mounted on said member for sweeping movement oversaid surface toward said open front, a pan unit abutting said bottommember across said open front so as to complete said reservoir wherebysaid roller can be rotated in a supply of ink in said reservoir, saidpan unit being releasably secured to an underlying, open toppedreceptacle, means for releasably supporting said pan unit in abutmentwith said bottom member, and an alternate support for said pan unit andreceptacle when released from said member, said receptacle underlyingsaid open front when held by said alternate support so as to receive inkdraining from said reservoir when said pan unit is released, and meansfor sliding said wiper blade over said surface toward said open frontand around said roller when said member has been shifted so as to moveink remaining in said reservoir and on a portion of said roller intosaid receptacle.

7. In a press inking arrangement having a journalled fountain roller anda knife blade positioned adjacent the periphery of said fountain roller,the combination comprising, an arcuate surfaced bottom member shiftablymounted beneath said fountain roller with said surface underlying saidroller, a pair of side Walls mounted to define, together with saidbottom member, a shallow ink reservoir, a wiper blade in fluid sealingengagement across said member between said walls, said Wiper bladehaving a portion engaging said knife biade when said blade is inposition for press operation so as to provide a return slide for inkscraped from said roller by said knife biade, said wiper blade beingslidably mounted on said member for sweeping movement over said surface,means for shifting said member toward said roller so that the axes ofsaid surface and said roller substantially coincide and said bladecontacts said roller, said shifting of said member causing said wiperblade portion to scrape ink from said knife blade, and means for slidingsaid wiper blade over said surface and around said roller when saidmember has been shifted.

8. in a press inking arrangement having a journalled fountain roller anda knife blade positioned adjacent the periphery of said fountain roller,the combination com.- prising, an arcuate surfaced bottom memberpivotally mountedbeneath said fountain roller with said surfaceunderlying said roller, a pair of side walls mounted to define, togetherwith said bot-tom member, a shallow ink reservoir having an open front,a wiper blade in fluid sealing engagement across said member betweensaid walls, said Wiper blade having a portion engaging said knife bladeso as to provide a return slide for ink scraped from said roller by saidknife blade, said wiper blade being slidably mounted on said member forsweeping movement over said surface toward said open front, means forrotating said member about said pivotal mounting toward said roller sothat the axes of said surface and said roller substantially coincide andsaid blade contacts said roller, said rotating of said member causingsaid wiper blade portion to scrape ink from said knife blade, a pan unitabutting said bottom member across said open front so as to completesaid reservoir whereby said roller can be rotated in a supply of ink insaid reservoir, means for releasably supporting said pan unit so thatthe unit can be moved out of abutment with said member to drain saidreservoir through said open front, and means for sliding said wiperblade over said surface and around said roller.

9. An inking arrangement for a press having a journalled fountain rollerand a pair of side walls extending radially from and dividing saidroller comprising, in combination, a bottom member mounted beneath saidrolier in slidable engagement with each of said side walls, meansestablishing fluid seals between said side Walls and said bottom memberso that the member and the walls define a shallow ink reservoir with anopen front, a unit removably mounted on said bottom member andpositioned across said open front so as to complete said reservoirwhereby said roller can be rotated in a supply of ink contained by thereservoir, said bottom member and said unit defining a subassembly thatis positionable with respect to said roller, and an open toppedreceptacle removably mounted on said subassembly in position to receiveink draining from said reservoir when said unit is released from saidopen front References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS 1,963,041 Avery lune 12, 1934 1,981,912 Fankboner Nov, 27, 19342,003,544 Jordhoy June 4, 1935 2,112,459 Friess Mar. 29, 1938 2,371,223Crafts Mar. 13, 1945 2,519,229 Crafts Aug. 15, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS1,113,052 France Nov. 23, 1955

1. IN A PRESS INKING ARRANGEMENT HAVING A JOURNALLED FOUNTAIN ROLLER,THE COMBINATION COMPRISING, AN ARCUATE SURFACED BOTTOM MEMBER SHIFTABLYMOUNTED BENEATH SAID FOUNTAIN ROLLER WITH SAID SURFACE UNDERLYING SAIDROLLER, A PAIR OF SIDE WALLS MOUNTED TO DEFINE, TOGETHER WITH SAIDBOTTOM MEMBER, A SHALLOW INK RESERVOIR HAVING AN OPEN FRONT, A WIPERBLADE IN FLUID SEALING ENGAGEMENT ACROSS SAID MEMBER BETWEEN SAID WALLS,SAID WIPER BLADE BEING SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID MEMBER FOR SWEEPINGMOVEMENT OVER SAID SURFACE TOWARD SAID OPEN FRONT, MEANS FOR SHIFTINGSAID MEMBER TOWARD SAID ROLLER SO THAT THE AXES OF SAID SURFACE AND SAIDROLLER SUBSTANTIALLY COINCIDE AND SAID BLADE CONTACTS SAID ROLLER, A PANUNIT IN CONTACT WITH SAID BOTTOM MEMBER ACROSS SAID OPEN FRONT SO AS TOCOMPLETE SAID RESERVOIR WHEREBY SAID ROLLER CAN BE ROTATED IN A SUPPLYOF INK IN SAID RESERVOIR, MEANS FOR RELEASABLY SUPPORTING SAID PAN UNITSO THAT THE UNIT CAN BE MOVED OUT OF CONTACT WITH SAID MEMBER IN ORDERTO DRAIN THE INK FROM SAID RESERVOIR THROUGH SAID OPEN FRONT, AND MEANSFOR DRAWING SAID WIPER BLADE OVER SAID SURFACE TOWARD SAID OPEN FRONTAND AROUND A PORTION OF SAID ROLLER WHEN SAID MEMBER HAS BEEN SHIFTED.